THE Recorder of Birmingham has been forced to resign after admitting a “serious error of judgment” by phoning a prosecution lawyer outside court.

Judge Frank Chapman said he left a voicemail with the lawyer after “a long and stressful week”.

It is understood it was not the content of the phone call that was the problem but the fact he made the call in the first place. Such contacts outside court are not allowed because they could be seen to show bias to a particular party.

Judge Chapman, aged 62, said: “At the end of a long and stressful week, I left a message on the voicemail of a prosecution counsel in a case which I was trying.

“The matter was brought to my attention by counsel before the end of the case and as I felt I had made a serious error of judgment, I immediately recused myself from the case and reported what had happened to my Presiding Judge.

“Although I appreciated that my conduct would fall for review in any event, I understand that the defendant in the trial subsequently made a formal complaint.”

The incident, which took place during a sexual offences case, was brought up in court. Judge Chapman stepped down from the case. There will be a retrial in January. A complaint was then received by the Office of Judicial Complaints.

Judge Chapman was made honorary Recorder of Birmingham in 2007.

In a joint statement the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor said: “In the course of a trial Judge Chapman made a serious error of judgment.”

They added: “Following his resignation, the complaint against his conduct will no longer be pursued.”